The life of Jesus
The Question about John's Baptism
The chief priests and the scribes challenge Jesus about his authority, but he avoids answering directly by asking a counter-question about John's baptism that they dare not answer.
Luke 20,1-8
1One day, as he was teaching the people in the temple and proclaiming the good news, the chief priests and the scribes came up with the elders
Καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν μιᾷ τῶν ⸀ἡμερῶν διδάσκοντος αὐτοῦ τὸν λαὸν ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ καὶ εὐαγγελιζομένου ἐπέστησαν οἱ ⸀ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ οἱ γραμματεῖς σὺν τοῖς πρεσβυτέροις,
2and said to him, "Tell us by what authority you do these things. Who gave you this authority?"
καὶ εἶπαν ⸂λέγοντες πρὸς αὐτόν⸃· Εἰπὸν ἡμῖν ἐν ποίᾳ ἐξουσίᾳ ταῦτα ποιεῖς, ἢ τίς ἐστιν ὁ δούς σοι τὴν ἐξουσίαν ταύτην;
3He answered them, "I will ask you a question too. Tell me:
ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτούς· Ἐρωτήσω ὑμᾶς ⸀κἀγὼ λόγον, καὶ εἴπατέ μοι·
4Was John's baptism from heaven, or from men?"
Τὸ βάπτισμα Ἰωάννου ἐξ οὐρανοῦ ἦν ἢ ἐξ ἀνθρώπων;
5They discussed it among themselves: "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will ask, 'Why didn't you believe him?'
οἱ δὲ συνελογίσαντο πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς λέγοντες ὅτι Ἐὰν εἴπωμεν· Ἐξ οὐρανοῦ, ἐρεῖ· Διὰ τί οὐκ ἐπιστεύσατε αὐτῷ;
6But if we say, 'From men,' all the people will stone us, for they are convinced that John was a prophet."
ἐὰν δὲ εἴπωμεν· Ἐξ ἀνθρώπων, ⸂ὁ λαὸς ἅπας⸃ καταλιθάσει ἡμᾶς, πεπεισμένος γάρ ἐστιν Ἰωάννην προφήτην εἶναι·
7So they answered that they did not know where it came from.
καὶ ἀπεκρίθησαν μὴ εἰδέναι πόθεν.
8And Jesus said to them, "Then neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."
καὶ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Οὐδὲ ἐγὼ λέγω ὑμῖν ἐν ποίᾳ ἐξουσίᾳ ταῦτα ποιῶ.